President of Colombia activates emergency operation following strong 7.4 magnitude earthquake

The president of Colombia, Abelardo de la Espriella, issued a message a few minutes after the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that shook Colombia this Monday morning.

“I have directly assumed leadership of the emergency response in San José del Palmar [epicenter of the seismic movement]. I have ordered the installation of a Unified Command Post to coordinate the response to the damage and the victims,” wrote the Colombian president on his X account.

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“I have requested from the director of the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management a detailed report on the situation and the most urgent needs. I will also be personally in Pereira to support those affected and verify the Government’s response,” he added.

“You are not alone. The State is present and taking action,” he concluded.

This Monday morning a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake shook western Colombia, with its epicenter 20 kilometers from San José del Palmar (Chocó) and at a depth of 96 kilometers, according to the Colombian Geological Service. The tremor was strongly felt in cities such as Bogotá, Medellín, Cali, Manizales, and Pereira, caused damage to buildings in Quibdó and Manizales, and was also perceived in Panama and Ecuador.